PS3 Poll Police: Is losing backwards compatibility that painful?

The Poll Police have had their phones ringing off the hooks this week, what with the unveiling of the controversial 40GB PS3 SKU. They've gathered information, checked out technical specifications and researched pricing estimations, but they can't get a lead on the decision by Sony. Why would this happen? How can this happen? These questions are too big for one Poll Police Force to handle, so they need your help in deciphering the response to the decision in removing backwards compatibility. PlayStation One games still work, apparently, but PS2 support is getting the axe. So, the Poll Police need your help: is this a big deal, or overblown and ridiculous?

We have to take a step back from all the technical information and board the logic train to see things from a little farther away. First off, the PS3 has been out long enough to begin amassing its own game library. Secondly, if you already own a PS3, you're an early adopter and have backwards compatibility ... good for you, this poll doesn't apply. If the PS3 is going to be your first Sony console, why would you care about backwards compatibility? If this is not your first Sony console, you already have something that plays old games -- what's the problem? Shelf space? Fourth, if you don't have an old Sony console but want the PS3 and collect old games, keep in mind this is the cheap version of the PS3. The slim PS2's are practically being given away, so if you really want to go buy old games, the combined price is essentially the same as if you were an early adopter of the PS3. This isn't to say removing backwards compatibility is a good move, it's definitely confusing and pointless, but for a lot of us, there's no real justification to all the hate being poured out on Sony. This is the data the Poll Police compiled from witnesses, so take it as you will. Last week's results are after the jump.

Good to see people are as tired of reading FFXIII and MGS4 rumors as we are of reporting them. Just about nine out of every ten votes went to either the "They're exclusive, give it a rest" or the "I don't care, just make it stop!" columns. Apparently we have a 10% infiltration of anti-Sony fanboys, or at least people who don't trust gaming companies at all. We hope these rumors cease also, but with both games still far from release, we're sure there will be countless more tales to weave about "talks" about "going multiplatform". Thanks for voting!